Romania shuffle their pack for Scotland clash in Lille
Battered and bruised Romania have made wholesale changes to their side to face Scotland in a Rugby World Cup Pool B clash in Lille on Saturday, including a first game at the tournament for former Tonga Sevens player Taliauli Sikuea.
Romania have suffered two heavy defeats against Ireland and South Africa, conceding a combined 158 points in the process, and now face a Scotland side desperate for a win to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.
Coach Eugen Apjok has made 10 changes to his starting XV, including the introduction of Sikuea, who joins fellow wing Sioeli Lama and fullback Marius Simionescu in the back three.
The latter is one of the players to keep his place, as is outside centre Jason Tomane, who forms a midfield partnership with Fonovai Tangimana.
Alin Conache will start a first test at flyhalf and along with Gabriel Rupanu makes up the halfback pairing.
Captain Cristian Chirica is at No 8 with Florian Rosu and Dragos Ser the flankers, while Stefan Iancu and Adrian Motoc are the lock pairing. The latter, along with Chirica, will have started all three of Romania’s games in France.
Robert Irimescu is at hooker with props Alexandru Savin and Gheorghe Gajion either side of him.
🏴🇹🇩 #Stejarii care vor înfrunta @Scotlandteam în cel de-al treilea meci la RWC 👉 https://t.co/48lSJKaBzc.
— Rugby Romania (@RugbyRomania) September 28, 2023
🔟 schimbări în echipa de start față de meciul cu Africa de Sud;
3️⃣ jucători în fața primului lor meci la Cupa Mondială: Sikuea, Lama și Burțilă;#TotiPentruRomania pic.twitter.com/z5LeOPwYyA
Romania have lost 10 of their last 11 World Cup matches and are winless in their past seven meetings with Scotland since an 18-12 victory in Bucharest in 1991.
Romania team: 1-Alexandru Savin, 2-Robert Irimescu, 3-Gheorghe Gajion, 4-Adrian Motoc, 5-Stefan Iancu, 6-Florian Rosu, 7-Dragos Ser, 8-Cristian Chirica (capt), 9-Gabriel Rupanu, 10-Alin Conache, 11-Taliauli Sikuea, 12-Fonovai Tangimana, 13-Jason Tomane, 14-Sioeli Lama, 15-Marius Simionescu
Replacements: 16-Florin Bardasu, 17-Iulian Hartig, 18-Costel Burtila, 19-Marius Iftimiciuc, 20-Damian Stratila, 21-Florin Surugiu, 22-Tudor Boldor, 23-Nicholas Onutu.
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